Temptations and Passions
by lux.astraea
Summary: Hermione ends up living with Severus at Grimmauld Place while he’s awaiting trial, due to circumstances involving Draco, an estate agent, and Harry and Ron knocking up their girlfriends. What happens when she’s forced to share living space with him?
1. Disappointments and Relocations

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. If I did, my name would be J.K. Rowling.

A/N: Written for maaiker on the livejournal sshg exchange. My first one, too! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Disappointments and relocations**

_Tap._

Hermione turned over in her bed, pulling the covers up and over her head with a resigned sigh.

_Tap. Tap._

"Ron, your turn," she mumbled sleepily from under the duvet.

_Tap... Tap. Tap._

"Ronald! Your turn! Post!" she said louder, lifting the covers from her face and blowing hair out of her eyes.

_Taptaptaptap! Tap! Tap!_

"I swear, Ron, if all this post is for you I'll make you eat it!" Hermione yelled her usual threat in the direction of Ron's room without even thinking about. Sleepily she headed towards the kitchen pulling her dressing gown on in the process.

_Taptaptap!_

"Alright, alright. Hold on, you bloody impatient bird." Unlocking the window latch she let the owl in, which left the letters in an untidy heap on the table before flying out of the window in a huff. "It's not even seven," she moaned, catching sight of the clock on the wall.

Scooping up the large stack of post, she automatically divided it into four piles, hers, Ron's, Harry's, and _fan mail_ which went into the recycle bin after being checked for hexes and curses. She leant against the edge of the table and sifted though her meagre pile. _Bill, bill, letter from Ginny, letter from the Ministry... the usual then._ She tossed them carelessly on the table and then placed the boy's mail on top of the two piles that had accrued for them over the last week or so.

Still groggy from a slight overindulgence of wine the night before, she made her way to the fridge for some juice and wondered if her stomach was up to breakfast.

Contrary to popular belief Hermione wasn't a morning person. While it was true that during her Hogwarts years she had risen most days at the crack of dawn, it had _not_ been out of a strange love of early mornings. Sharing a room more was to blame; her roommates had been a little, well... loud while sleeping. If it wasn't Lavender and her constant snoring, it was someone mumbling in their sleep. Or someone having a nightmare and waking everyone in a panic. Not to mention the number of times she'd woken in the middle of the night terrorized by her own dreams or had just been unable to fall sleep in the first place because of worrying. She imagined it was to be expected when you went to school during a time when the Magical world's future wasn't exactly bright and shiny.

Now that school was finished, the war was over, and she had a job she enjoyed, she liked a lie in on the weekend. _When someone else bothers to get the damn post,_ she thought wryly before snorting in realisation of the fact that she was the only one in the flat now, so it wasn't like she had any choice.

Putting a slice of bread in the toaster, after deciding it was all she could cope with for now, she wandered around the kitchen checking cupboards and shelves for anything left behind by Harry or Ron. _Merlin knows they'll have forgotten _something_ given that they both somehow managed to pack in half a day. I told them not to leave it until the last minute_.

The last week had been nothing more than a blur. Her best friends had told her weeks ago that they would be moving out of their shared flat to live with their respective girlfriends... sorry, _fiancées_, now that both women were pregnant. Harry had moved out shortly after, and Ron had left the other night, having had a hard time finding a place to live.

_Honestly! Did they plan on getting them pregnant at the same time!?_ Hermione shook her head and buttered her toast. _Oh, well, as long as they're happy, who am I to judge?_

Scraping a little Marmite on her toast, she wandered slowly into the living area of the flat, picking up the odd thing here and there and putting them into the boxes she had started filling. She couldn't afford to stay here by herself, so she was in the middle of signing papers for a new flat of her own. It was closer to where she reported for work (though she normally worked from home), and not having to clean up after the boys was going to be a bonus.

Sitting down to read the _Prophet_, Hermione noticed a note that lay on the hearth. Slightly crispy on the edges, it looked like it'd been sent through the Floo.

_Hermione,_

_Just thought I'd remind you about the meal we're having tonight. I didn't Floo call you as I know you like a lie in on your days off. Ron's going to be late – something about furniture for his flat, but I'll be there at eight._

_See you later,_

_Harry. x_

She put the note down on the table and went back into the kitchen to make tea, using the last of the milk in the process. She'd forgotten about the 'goodbye' meal that they had organised. Still with no plans other than meeting the Wizarding world's equivalent to an estate agent later in the afternoon, she had a pretty empty day all to herself.

Glancing guiltily at the paperwork for her latest project, Hermione shook her head and refused to let feelings of guilt push her into working today. She had a hangover anyway and thanks to Harry and Ron no potion to get rid of it. _A bath and then some reading it is then,_ she decided. _It is my day off anyway._

Chewing the last of her toast, Hermione grabbed her tea from the counter and went off to her bathroom musing over which bath foam and scents to use.

... ... ... ... ...

She nodded off sometime around eleven snuggled up in an overstuffed chair her mother had given her, the book still in her lap. She had been dreaming of gigantic boxes and wardrobes chasing her, demanding to be filled with clothes and shoes, when a banging noise brought her back to wakefulness.

Whoever it was at the door was certainly enthusiastic, the knocking was non-stop and getting louder.

"It's me, the landlord. Open up!" bellowed a voice from the hallway.

Jumping out of her seat, Hermione rushed to the door to let in Mr Roper the landlord. He was always a grumpy man, and knowing that he'd been waiting meant he'd no doubt be unbearable to talk to. Ron had once likened him to a Dementor in his ability to somehow sap the happiness out of a person at ten paces.

"Mr Roper! Come in, come in," she said as enthusiastically as she could, waving him into the flat. "Um, here, take a seat. What can I help you with?" she asked while shifting a stack of ironing from the sofa.

"I've come 'bout the flat," he said simply, his gaze obviously south of her face.

"The... flat?" Hermione repeated, somewhat confused. She was, unfortunately, used to Mr Roper's wandering gaze, and although it annoyed the hell out of her, she'd never yet worked up the courage to voice her opinion on the matter. She was thankful that it soon wouldn't be an issue.

"Yes. I've found a new tenant, so I thought I'd let you know. Make sure you aren't planning on hanging around after this weekend."

"Oh, well, I'll be leaving on the day after tomorrow," Hermione said. "I sort out the final paperwork for my new flat today."

"Saturday? Good, good," he said gruffly, crossing his arms and looking at the living room which was littered with boxes, packing materials, and a mound of books from her morning of reading. "You'll be leaving it _clean_, yes?"

"Well... of course," Hermione said tersely, insulted that he doubted her ability with cleaning charms. Just because the place looked like a herd of wild Aethonon had had a whale of a time in it today didn't mean...

Mr Roper stood, and climbing over the stack of books she'd taken from the shelf, he walked over to the window, opening it wide.

"Leave this window open for a while," he said, crossing the room towards the door, his nose wrinkled up. "It smells funny in here, and I don't want the new tenant changing his mind."

"Right." She sighed, looking over towards the packing and purposely ignoring his comment. "Well, Mr Roper, I have a meeting shortly, so I'll need to start getting ready." She gestured toward the door.

"_Humph_, well, I'll leave you to it then," he said, running a hand through his thinning grey hair.

She nodded, faking a smile. "Goodbye, Mr Roper," she said. "It was nice speaking to you."

He grunted out a reply, and Hermione shut the door, sighing in annoyance. "That man!" _I'm so glad he'll no longer be my landlord after this weekend._

Gathering her thoughts she headed off to her bedroom to change into something appropriate for the meeting with the 'Estate Agent.'

... ... ... ... ...

"But I don't understand! How could... I mean, we had an appointment to finalise the sale today!" Hermione exclaimed to the white-haired man sitting on the other side of the desk.

"Miss Granger, I truly am sorry, but these things do sometimes happen. If you'd signed these papers earlier, it wouldn't have been an issue, but the seller pulled out just a few moments ago."

Hermione sat back in her chair and put her hands over her face. The seller had dropped out, and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.

"I don't suppose you have a time-turner handy do you?" She asked from behind her hands.

The man laughed nervously and shuffled the papers on his desk. "Alas, no. I'm sorry I realise this leaves you in an awful predicament. If there was anything I could do..."

Hermione laughed cynically. "Oh, bugger, where am I going to go now?" The aged man opposite her didn't reply, and the silence stretched out between them uncomfortably.

Suddenly realising she was most likely in the way of the man's other clients, Hermione sat up and collected her bag and papers. "Sorry, sorry, I know you must be busy. I'll get out of your hair."

He smiled and nodded as she stood, standing to escort her out of the room. "Miss Granger, I hope you find something," he said, watching her.

"_Erm_, thank you for everything, Mr Monk," Hermione replied, realising he was awaiting some sort of response.

"You take care." He smiled as she left the outer office, and she managed a smile back. Disappointed as she was it wasn't _his_ fault the seller had backed out. If only she'd arrived an hour earlier!

Glancing at her watch she realised that she had time to go do some quick shopping before she would need to get back to the flat and try to pack some more things before the meal with the boys. _What a day!_ She Apparated from her place outside Mr Monk's office and headed for Diagon Alley, her thoughts determinedly not on her impending homelessness.

She shopped quickly in order to distract herself from dwelling on her predicament. She collected the books she had on order from Flourish and Blotts, casting shrinking and weight reducing charms before stowing them in her robes. She stopped in at Obscurus Books and asked if her order had arrived yet, which it hadn't, but the shopkeeper assured her it would be there in a few days. She even ventured out into Muggle London to buy some other bits and pieces.

When she'd finally run out of things to do, she resigned herself to going back to the flat and getting ready for the meal with Harry and Ron. The idea of packing was just too depressing at the moment.

... ... ... ... ...

Apparating directly into the hallway outside, she let herself in, dumping her haul inside the doorway to sort later. Checking the time again, she realised she'd need to hurry, she'd spent longer than she thought in Muggle London and only had an hour or so before she needed to meet Harry.

As was normal for Hermione, once her mind was free of distractions it turned to pressing matters... in this case, her soon to be lack of a home. _How on earth do these things happen to me?_ she asked herself while taking off her cloak and shoes.

Opening her wardrobe she sat down on the edge of the bed in thought. She really didn't have any place to go. She couldn't ask to stay with Harry or Ron to stay now that they were all 'lovey-dovey' with their fiancées, and she couldn't exactly ask her parents with the way things had been between them lately.

Sighing, she stood and removed a pair of black trousers from the wardrobe and flicked through the various tops she had. _I could always ask... no, that's stupid. Or how about Grimmauld Place... even if __he_ is there.... Finally deciding on a simple patterned jumper, she laid it, and the trousers, on her bed and went for a shower to clean her hair... and hopefully, her head.

Massaging conditioner into her hair, Hermione couldn't help but dwell on her dilemma. The only short-term solution she could think of was Grimmauld Place. Harry had always said she could use it if she needed to at any time. The only reason she hadn't Floo'd Harry already was because of its current occupant.

One Severus Snape.

It wasn't that she hated him or couldn't stand to be around him... far from it to be honest with herself. She had a strange obsession with him that had started when she was a student at Hogwarts. The events surrounding his 'resurrection' only made it worse.

Shaking her head she chided herself. If it was her only option at the moment, she should take it, right? Just because she had unresolved feelings of... lust? for him didn't mean she should make herself suffer out of an irrational fear making a fool of herself when she was around him. _Right?_

Rinsing her hair she hurried the rest of her cleaning routine, aware that her mind had wandered and she was no doubt going to be late.

... ... ... ... ...

"Harry!" Hermione gasped as she ran to catch him up as he wandered back and forth outside the restaurant, scuffing his shoes on the pavement like he was still eleven years old.

"Hermione, there you are! Thought you were lost or something," Harry joked, hugging her.

"Sorry... I got... distracted... sorry," Hermione panted, still out of breath. Harry laughed and took her arm directing her to the open door of the restaurant.

"Hermione, I'm not annoyed. Come on, let's get our table. Ron said he'd be here no later than half past, and you know how he is about food, especially pub food."

Hermione smiled, and they were soon seated in a quiet corner of the pub-come-restaurant that Hermione was fond of.

"How was the signing?" Harry asked once they had their drinks and were settled in to wait for Ron.

Hermione groaned and shook her head. "It fell through at the last minute. I still can't believe it."

"What! How?" he said, shocked. "I mean all you had to do was sign the final... I mean... but what...," he trailed off as she just sat there looking lost.

She twirled the straw in her drink with one hand, the other supporting her chin as she leant against the table. "Harry, I really don't know. I mean the lease on the flat runs out this weekend, and Mr Roper was there today checking up on it... I don't know what to do. The only thing that seems to be going right lately is my research, and that's most likely because I've finished it."

Harry smiled. "Well, you _are_ Hermione Granger. If your work wasn't going well, it'd be a sign of an impending apocalypse."

"What's this about apocolipps?" Ron asked as he reached the table and took a seat next to Hermione who was shaking her head at his mispronunciation.

"Hermione's flat purchase fell through, Ron," Harry answered, waving the waiter over to get Ron's drink order.

"Really? That's crap," he said, putting a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Have you decided what you're going to do?"

Hermione shook her head and looked at Ron. "Nope. I did have a couple of ideas but nothing yet to be honest." _Liar,_ her mind echoed as she spoke, _there is one place_.

"Well, I heard Lavender Brown's looking for a house mate," Ron suggested all too seriously.

"Mate, I don't think Hermione's really that good a friend with Lavender. Isn't that right, Hermione?" Harry said, glancing between the two of them, all too aware of Hermione's opinion of Lavender Brown.

Taking a deep breath Hermione nodded. "That's right, Harry. We're not what you'd call suitable house mates."

"But you shared a dorm in school," Ron said, obviously missing the obvious.

"Not out of choice, Ronald," Hermione replied tartly.

"Oh... right." Taking the hint he wisely dropped the subject and turned to Harry, raising an eyebrow and mouthing _'your turn'_ to him.

"Well, like I said before, Hermione, Grimmauld Place is there if you need it. Although Snape is living there while his trial is being sorted..." Harry ventured carefully.

Hermione took a long sip off her drink and rubbed her eyes. "I think that's the only option I have right now, Harry. Are you sure it's okay?"

"Course it is! It's my house, and Snape's there because he has nowhere else to go since the Ministry froze his assets before the trial." He paused as their meals arrived and then continued, "If he gives you any bother just tell me, okay?"

"Are you sure there's nowhere else?" Ron asked, looking at his food adoringly. "I mean... Snape..."

"Ron, he's got nowhere else to go," Hermione said, "and neither do I."

"You could stay with me and Mel," he suggested weakly.

Hermione shook her head. "Ron, as much as you and I get along I'm not sleeping on your couch."

"But Mel won't mind," Ron protested.

"I will! Honestly, Ron, thanks for offering, but you and Harry are settled now and don't have room for me to stay with either of you. Plus I don't know how long it's going to take me to get a place of my own. I can hardly sleep on your sofa until then, can I?"

Harry nodded in agreement and Ron finally relented. "All right, but if you ask me you'll go bonkers inside of a week living with Snape on your own."

Harry laughed and picked up his knife and fork, tucking into his steak with gusto, prompting the others to start eating too. "Crazy is one word for it."

"We'll come see you, Hermione," Ron said, his mouth full of mashed potato. "Stop you from going _barmy_ with only Snape to talk to."

Hermione rolled her eyes and cut off a piece of her lamb chop. "Fine, Ron. But somehow I think I'll be okay."

She said that, but a part of her mind couldn't help but claim otherwise. _Be 'okay' as in you'll behave like an idiot and he'll guess how you feel?_

They quickly settled into their usual eating and conversation pattern from their years of Hogwarts dining. Soon enough Harry and Hermione sat slowly nibbling pudding with Ron still eating like he'd not been fed in a month.

"So, I'll tell Snape you're coming, if you want me to, Hermione," Harry suggested once he'd finished his last spoonful of apple pie. "So he knows and isn't a complete twat when you get there."

Ron snorted his drink at Harry's comment, and Hermione laughed. "Somehow, Harry, I think he'll be his usual self regardless of whether you go to tell him or not. Don't bother. I'll just tell him when I get there."

Harry nodded, and they took their time with the last of their drinks before paying the bill and leaving the restaurant.

... ... ... ... ...

_tbc_


	2. Early Mornings and Unexpected Meetings

**Chapter 2 – Early Mornings and Unexpected Meetings**

Closing the door to the flat behind her, Hermione quickly sat down on the sofa and pulled off her boots. _Okay. Heels were a mistake_, she thought, massaging the ball of her foot. _Especially considering I knew beforehand that Ron and Harry would drag me for a drink at the Leaky Cauldron after our meal._

Standing up, she shrugged out of her cloak, leaving it lying haphazardly on the back of the sofa, and shuffled into the kitchen to get some tea. As she stood waiting for the kettle to boil, she realised that she really didn't have much longer left in the flat and that she still had a _lot_ of packing to do.

_Serves me right for procrastinating_, she thought wryly. _I never used to be so bad_.

Pouring the boiling water into the teapot with one hand, she quickly directed a few packing charms on the drawers and the cupboards with her wand hand. It was a start, and she'd just leave out the few things she knew she'd need until Saturday.

Retrieving the few things she'd need, she cast the final few packing charms on the kitchen, smiling in realisation that it had taken the boys much longer to do theirs. _Charms were never Ron's strong point_, she recalled, remembering the number of breakages there were when he had finally got round to his packing.

Taking her tea, freshly brewed the Muggle way as she preferred, she went back into the living room and frowned.

_Mr Roper really did have a reason to ask if I'd leave it tidy if this is how it was when he came over earlier._ Sighing, she took a sip of her tea before pulling out her wand. It was going to be a long night, even with the aid of magic.

... ... ... ... ...

Hermione woke with a painful start at five on Saturday morning. "Wha... oh ow, ouch! Stupid... keys... cold," she mumbled to herself. She sat up from her position on the living room floor next to the fireplace, wincing and taking the keys out of her hair. She had fallen asleep late on Friday night after spending the whole day packing and organising things for the move. Her bedroom had seemed like miles away at the time, and she'd fallen asleep on the floor when she'd closed her eyes for a moment. It was only now she realised that a night on the cold living room floor might not have been such a great idea. _I must be getting old,_ she thought as she stood and arched her back.

Looking about the room full of boxes containing her life, Hermione couldn't help but feel melancholic. Here she was a twenty-four-year-old woman with a great job and... Well, that was about it really.

She didn't have a house, and she didn't have a significant other. "Not that I want or need one," she said to the empty room. Though her mind said otherwise.

Escaping the maze of boxes, she moved into the kitchen, double checking it for anything left behind. Finding nothing, she moved towards the bedrooms and bathroom, meaning to have a shower and get dressed before starting the process of shrinking boxes to take to Grimmauld Place. She made it as far as the hallway past Harry's old room, when there was a sharp rap at the door.

"Open up! It's Mr Roper," he bellowed from outside the door.

Hermione's head dropped to her chest and she sighed. That was all she needed at this time in the morning, a visit from the landlord. Recovering and taking a steeling breath, Hermione went to open the door.

"Oh, good, you're up," Mr Roper said gruffly as she opened the door. Behind him stood someone she thought she'd never see again. Draco Malfoy.

She stared at him speechless as he peered right back at her over the shoulder of her landlord.

"Miss Granger?" Mr Roper asked, when no one had said a word for a full minute. "This is..."

"We know each other, Mr Roper," Draco said quietly.

"Oh, really? Well that's just wonderful. Miss Granger, this is the new tenant for the flat. He's looking to move in early, and I told him we'd come this morning to see how you were doing on the packing front."

Hermione forced a smile at the men. _At five o'clock in the morning! What kind of person comes around at five am!?_

"Um, come in then I suppose," she said, inching back from the door. "I'm pretty much done."

They entered the flat, having to follow the path laid out by the boxes, until they stood in the small area in the centre of the living room Hermione had slept in the night before.

The night before..._ Oh crap!_ Hermione's hand flew to her face, then to her hair and she winced. She'd answered the door looking like _this_!

Draco had noticed Hermione's actions and couldn't help but smirk as she winced at the thought of being stood in front of them in her highly sleep-ruffled state.

"Well, looks like you're mostly done, doesn't it," Mr Roper said, looking about. "I'll go check the other rooms..."

"Hang on, Mr Roper," Hermione said, annoyed at his presence now that she'd got over her initial shock and embarrassment. "I've not yet finished, and I need to have a shower and such before I'm doing _anything_ today, so I think it'd be best if you came back in a while. It is only five o'clock in the morning."

She looked between Mr Roper and Draco as they glanced at one another. Draco at least had the decency to look sheepish, even if it was only for a fleeting moment.

"Well, we'll come back in a bit then," Mr Roper replied grudgingly, leading the way toward the door. Once he'd left the room, leaving the door ajar for Draco to follow, Malfoy Junior turned to Hermione.

"Need a hand in the shower, Granger?" Wiggling his eyebrows, Draco hurriedly left the room as Hermione reached to take out her wand.

The door shut just as Hermione made to cast a jelly legs jinx on him. "Honestly," she said, flicking her wand to lock the door. _As if I'd touch him! Not after what Susan told me!_

Replacing her wand in her sleeve, Hermione headed for the bathroom for what was now to be a quick perfunctory shower, rather than a relaxing one.

... ... ... ... ...

Shrinking the last of the boxes, Hermione cast a weight reducing charm on it and added it to the collection in her bag.

"Done," she said to Draco, who was stood by the window, looking out at the early afternoon sky.

"Thanks," he said. Not turning around, he continued, "Sorry, I didn't mean to rush you. I just... well, I need to get out _now_."

"Out?" Hermione asked, confused.

"The Manor. I can't stand it, my parents are..." he turned around and looked her in the eye briefly before dropping his head, "arguing."

"Oh." Hermione didn't know what to say. She and Draco had never got on particularly well, and today had been surreal in that he'd said not one thing that could be construed as offensive to her. Well, not counting his shower comment, but that was more suggestive...

"It's fine, Granger. I'm not after sympathy, just an escape."

She nodded in understanding and turned to make one last check of the rooms before coming back to where Draco stood, unmoved from before. "I'll be going then," she said. "See you around, I guess."

Draco laughed and nodded. "You will. Don't worry," he replied cryptically.

Hermione smiled bemusedly at his reply and let herself out, leaving her key on the sideboard near the door. Climbing down the staircase to the ground floor, she prepared herself to Apparate to Grimmauld Place, and after taking one last look up the staircase at the door of her old flat, she disappeared with a quiet pop.

... ... ... ... ...

Arriving on the doorstep to number twelve, Grimmauld Place, Hermione stood for a moment having second thoughts.

_You have nowhere else to go!_ Her sensible side said loudly. _You need this and Harry did say it's okay._

Another, more shy and retiring part of Hermione spoke up for once, arguing, _But_ he's _here! You're going to make an idiot of yourself_!

_She managed perfectly well while in school!_ her sensible side countered.

_Yes, well, he's not a teacher anymore. He's actually 'attainable' now..._ Shy Hermione said. Perhaps her shy side had been spending too much time with her oft ignored, seductive, man-eating side...

Shaking her head at the thoughts running through her mind, Hermione opened the door, the wards recognising her as she did. Stepping into the dark hallway, she closed the door behind her as quietly as she could to avoid waking up the stupid portrait of Mrs Black.

What she didn't see straight away because of the lack of light was that Severus Snape stood to one side of the hallway about halfway down, arms folded and an eyebrow raised in question. "You finally worked out how to open the door then," he said, making her jump in fright.

"Profes... Sir! You startled me! How did you know I was out there?" Hermione asked, intrigued and trying to cover her initial surprise.

He pointed to the door behind her as if it were obvious. "Modified Stealth Sensor Spell."

"Oh." Moving further into the house, she took her cloak off and hung it up on one of the many empty cloak pegs. "How are you, sir?" she ventured to ask.

He looked at her for a long moment, taking in her appearance and then frowning. "I am as well as could be expected considering I'm housebound in what must be one of the most mind numbingly boring houses in Great Britain."

Hermione bit her tongue to prevent from laughing. She didn't want to wake up the portrait, after all. "Oh."

"Oh? That's the second time you've used that word in under two minutes, Miss Granger. You seem to have lost your vocabulary on the trip here. Perhaps you ought to go back and find it?" He gestured toward the door with a wave of his hand and turned to enter the library.

"I'm staying here actually," she blurted. _Way to go Hermione_, she chided herself. "I mean I'll be living here for a while."

"Is that so? And why would that be? Surely you don't _long_ for my company?" Snape asked, sarcasm all but leaping from him.

"I'm staying because I need somewhere to stay while I find a new flat," she answered succinctly.

He tilted his head in thought and then nodded once, turning and entering the library without another word.

Hermione stood in the hallway for a moment collecting her thoughts. _Well, that didn't go as badly as it could have._

First things first – she needed to unpack some of her more essential things, which meant finding a room. Heading up the staircase, she picked a room close to the only working bathroom in the house. The only one because somehow, someone, had accidentally broken the other bathroom beyond repair. _Accident my arse, they were prating about with that charm and hit the plumbing..._, she remembered as she opened the door to an empty bedroom.

... ... ... ... ...

Flopping down onto the bed, Hermione sighed in exhaustion. She'd been up since five that morning and it had only just turned four. _I want to go to sleep!_

Forcing herself to get up with a groan, she stood and looked in the full length mirror that stood in the corner near the window. Dressed in practical clothes for the day, her hair roughly pulled back from her face, she hardly looked a picture of seduction.

_Wait!_ she told herself, shocked. _Since when was seduction even remotely close to being on the table?!_ Shaking her head, she turned to leave the room to get a drink and look about the house, but upon grasping the door handle and partially opening the door, she stopped.

_Perhaps a better top wouldn't go amiss_, she thought, a spark of hope lighting in her chest. _And I'll brush my hair, too._

She did that quickly and left her room, the temptation to put on a skirt or some better trousers almost too much.

Stepping off the last step, Hermione realised she'd been in the house for almost three hours and hadn't seen Snape since she'd arrived. _Probably in the library,_ she told herself. Mentally grasping onto the little spark in her chest, she walked over to the library door contemplating asking him if he'd like some tea.

Putting her hand out to push the door open, she saw through the gap in the door that he was already there reading by the fire.

"Would you like a cup of tea, sir?" Hermione said, opening the door and wandering up to the fireplace to warm her hands. She'd forgotten how chilly Grimmauld Place could be when it wasn't full of people.

"If you think you can make tea to my standards then yes, Miss Granger," came the reply. He didn't even look up from his reading to address her.

"I'll try," she replied, standing from her crouched position in front of the flames and heading towards the door. "One sugar and no milk, isn't it?"

He looked up then, not shocked, just surprised that she knew how he took his tea. "Yes." Smiling, she left him to it and went to the kitchen.

Once she'd managed to find suitable cups from the array of pottery in the cupboard, Hermione set about making some tea. _Now, where's the kettle..._ Hermione almost laughed when she remembered that there was no electricity in the house and therefore no electric kettle. She quickly spotted the hob, and on it, an older kettle. It had been ages since she'd used one of those things. After some counting, she realised she hadn't been inside Grimmauld Place in almost three years, and looking about the room, she didn't think much had changed.

It was still grimy around the edges, despite Molly's best efforts. But for now it was home and it would do. Stirring the tea, she put the spoon in the sink, picked up the cups and left the kitchen.

"Here you go, sir," Hermione said, holding his tea out to him once she got into the library.

He looked up and took the cup from her hands, his fingertips cold as they brushed against hers which were warm from the tea. Hermione suppressed a shudder and smiled as he said his thanks.

Seating herself on the floor in front of the sofa, Hermione gazed into the fire, thinking about what she'd need to start doing tomorrow for flat hunting.

"Miss Granger," came a voice from her side, drawing her away from her thoughts.

"Yes, sir?"

"I understand you work in the high level research department at the Ministry?" he ventured, closing the book on his lap to address her properly.

"Yes, though I work from home most of the time, occasionally going in for meetings and such."

He nodded, and continued, "How do you do your research then?"

"Well, I have a lot of books of my own," she said, turning to face him fully. "All shrunk and boxed to save space. Merlin knows I'll never be able to afford a place to house them all fully sized."

He smiled, albeit faintly and stood, making his way to the shelves of the Black family library behind the sofa to re-shelve the book he'd been reading.

It was then that Hermione realised he only had these books to read and... well... _she'd_ read them all within a single summer. Even the ones that were about which Pureblood one ought to marry if you were considering this or that and which one to avoid if you didn't want to be shunned by society. _That_ book had sent her to sleep more times than she could count, it was that boring.

"Well, I'll be unpacking my books tomorrow, so if you wanted to borrow any..." Hermione trailed off, testing the water.

"I... thank you, Miss Granger," he said as he moved back toward the fire place. "I find myself at a loss for things to do right now."

She nodded in understanding, and turned back to the fire, watching the flames dance across the wood while she tried to think of something to say.

"Did you by any chance bring any groceries with you earlier, Miss Granger?" Snape asked after a few minutes, snapping her out of her reverie yet again.

"Oh, damn! I knew I needed to get something," she said. Getting to her feet quickly, she made for the door, but stopped and turned to her ex-professor. "Is there anything you need, or want, while I'm out, sir?"

He regarded her silently for a few moments before standing, straightening his robes and nodding. "Yes. I'll make a list, shall I?"

"Great," Hermione replied, "I'll go have a look in the kitchen. I may as well get everything we need for a while."

Hermione checked the cupboards quickly, making a mental note of the few things they needed or would soon, and turned to leave the room but found her exit blocked by Snape.

"Here is my list," he said, holding out a piece of parchment neatly rolled up.

"Right, thanks," she replied. Taking the note, she made to leave the room but Snape didn't move from his place in the doorway so she walked _right_ up to him before stopping and lifting her eyes to meet his.

"Problem, Miss Granger?" He asked, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on his lips.

Stammering out a 'no' she dropped her eyes to his chest, not daring to move because her proximity to him was the closest she could ever recall. It made her knees strangely weak.

She felt rather than saw his subtle movement towards her, closing the small gap between them. His voice whispered softly into her ear, and she closed her eyes at the sensation of warm air running across her skin. "Most people ask the other person to move if they are in the way, Miss Granger." Putting his hands on her upper arms, he slid them slowly down toward her elbows and moved past her into the kitchen, his torso grazing hers as he did.

Hermione's heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, and she stood still while the lingering feeling of his hands could still be felt on her bare arms.

"I'll see you when you return," he said, busying himself with making tea.

Shaking herself out of her haze, Hermione all but ran from the kitchen.

... ... ... ... ...


	3. Close Encounters and Frustrations

**Chapter 3 – Close Encounters and Frustrations**

****

Hermione shut the book she was reading in irritation. She couldn't stop obsessing over what had happened in the kitchen two days ago. It was driving her mad!

_You **must** have been overreacting, Hermione! As if he'd flirt with you!_ her mind repeated. She couldn't quite believe that he _had_ been flirting that night and so now she was frustrated. Not knowing really wasn't something she could deal with.

Standing from the chair, she wandered about her room for a few minutes, trying to clear her head, before sitting back at the desk with a 'thump' and opening the book again, a determined look on her face.

"...Oh for crying out loud!" she yelled to no one in particular a few minutes later, slamming the book closed and throwing herself face first onto her bed.

_I just wish I _knew_ what was going on!_ She thought, frustrated that her analytical brain couldn't figure out the motives of Severus Snape.

Part of her said it was that he was bored. After all he'd been magically housebound in this forsaken place for months awaiting a trial date, and not **that** many people were what you could call 'best buds' with him. Perhaps he was just trying to provoke a reaction from her? _But of what kind?_

It didn't help that she liked him the way she did. If she still felt like she had during her Hogwarts years, which had been respect with a healthy dose of fear, she wouldn't have a problem passing off his behaviour as mean, albeit it was an unusual method... even for him.

She shook her head, irritated by her obsessing and decided she'd better get something to eat. Checking her watch she noticed it was already seven in the evening and she'd not eaten since breakfast. _No wonder my concentration's shot,_ she told herself.

Descending the stairs she couldn't help but wonder what the only other resident of Grimmauld Place was doing and, as she took the last few steps down onto the ground floor landing, she saw that the lamps were lit in the library. Her first thought had been correct.

She had kept her promise from that first evening and had un-shrunk some of the boxes of books, placing them along one wall of the Black family library for him to access. She'd not really seen him much over the last two days, other than in passing in the kitchen and the upstairs corridor. _Mainly because you've been holed up in your room doing work and avoiding him_, the sarcastic part of her mind echoed.

Moving down the corridor, she entered the kitchen and set about making some beans on toast, too lazy and too tired to make anything more complicated. _Now where did I put the butter,_ she thought, looking first in the chiller cupboard and then the counter tops again. _Hmm, maybe he used it..._

Putting the toast onto a plate Hermione briefly considered going without it but she shook herself and firmed her resolve to go and ask him. _Really, being afraid to ask where the butter is!_ Casting a warming charm over the toast, she set off to the library.

"Sir?" Hermione said softly, as she entered the library.

No reply.

She couldn't see his face because the chair had been turned toward the fire more fully and only his legs were visible from where she stood. Walking toward him Hermione noted the stack of books on the floor next to the chair with a smile. At least he'd found something to read then.

Rounding the chair, she stopped short when she saw he was asleep, his head in one hand and a book forgotten in his other.

She couldn't help but stare at him for a few moments; taking in his face at it's most unguarded. He would never win a beauty competition, but that wasn't what attracted her to him. Other than the mysterious air around him and how he pushed others away from himself, she felt attracted to him because of his bravery, his resolution, his... everything.

She knew some would label it as hero worship – she'd seen it happen enough with the girls dating Harry, and even Ron, for their fame and glory. But with Severus Snape there was just... something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. No matter how hard she tried to analyse her feelings for him, it slipped through her hands like mist.

It didn't matter to her that people saw him as mean, cruel and bitter. She understood that although those were most likely a large part of him, they were just that – parts. Hermione wanted to get to know the whole of him.

Biting her lip Hermione continued her observation of her ex Potions professor, moving one step closer to the chair. She knew that if she ever wanted something to happen between them he'd most likely expect her to take the initiative... at least at first.

Raising one hand she reached out to brush away a strand of hair from his forehead but stopped in mid air, afraid of doing so.

"You know, Miss Granger, I can't help but wonder what interest you have in me sleeping," he said, lifting his head as he spoke and grasping her wrist with one hand. Pulling her hand toward himself, he turned her arm so her palm was facing up, which caused Hermione to take a step closer.

"I was coming to ask where the butter is," she said tentatively.

"It's in the cupboard with the cans," he replied, bringing his other hand up to touch her fingertips. "Proper butter so it doesn't belong in the fridge."

"Right," she said, more interested in what he was doing to her hand than his reply.

His fingertips touched hers and then danced over her palm for a few moments, the rough skin of his calloused fingers contrasting with her smooth palm, before coming to hold the ends of her fingers, her hand open. "You're lucky I knew it was you," he said quietly. "Anyone else would have been hexed first and identified later had they interrupted my sleep. The war has left me rather prone to that kind of thing."

She nodded and opened her mouth to ask how he knew it was her, but before she could, he bent his head and pressed a kiss to her palm, closing her fingers over it afterwards.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to write a letter," he said as he released her hand and stood up. "Don't forget, the butter stays out of the fridge," he continued, before he left the room faster than she thought possible.

Hermione sat on the chair he'd just vacated as the door to the library closed, staring at her hand and looking at the place he'd kissed her palm like it had left a mark.

Hermione stretched her back and grabbed the last whole biscuit from the plate on the table. The meeting was _finally_ over!

She had finished her latest project last week, having spent her first four days at Grimmauld Place filling in the tortuous paperwork, and had just finished the four hour meeting with the head of the department for her debriefing.

Now she had the next month to work from home on her _new_ project. She snorted inelegantly as she packed up her bag, _New! It's just one that the others have finally realised they can't solve, so are putting on my shoulders. Yet again._

Saying goodbye to the only other person left in the briefing room she headed for her next stop before going home. The central bookstore of the Ministry of Magic.

Or, in Hermione's world, Utopia.

Owning not one but three copies of every book ever published in the known world, both Muggle and Wizarding, it was the largest collection of books on every subject known to man, second only to the one in central China. Honestly it put libraries such as the Bodleian in Oxford and the British Library to shame. _Well, they are Muggle,_ Hermione allowed as she walked toward the entrance area, _so we do have an advantage..._

Showing her I.D., Hermione was let into the store by a guard after storing her bag in one of the lockers. If there was one good thing about this place it was that it was secure. Only a limited number of staff were allowed as much access as she was.

Quickly looking around the main desks, she spotted Gladys, the librarian that Hermione had known since she'd started working for the department. "Afternoon, Gladys," Hermione said, grabbing a pen from the desk, as well as a slip of parchment and making a few notes.

"Hello there, Hermione," she replied cheerfully. Holding up the book in her hand she continued, "I'll be back in a second, just got to send this on its way to the right department."

Nodding, Hermione sat down and waited for a few minutes until Gladys, a short middle aged woman came back round the corner.

"Oh, yes, they said you'd be down today," she said adjusting her glasses. "I've got _some_ of it set up for you in here. There's an awful lot you know."

Hermione smiled ruefully and followed the librarian to one of the reading rooms. It was big, about the size of the Gryffindor common room, and already half full of boxes of shrunken books. "Oh... I really am going to be here a while, aren't I?" Hermione said to the librarian looking at the teetering piles of boxes against the far wall.

"Most likely, I'm afraid. Here's the inventory list, dear, the sooner you start the sooner you can get out of this place."

"Thanks," she answered, taking off her cloak and grabbing a chair to sit on. "Could I possibly have a copy of these too, if it's not too much trouble, Gladys?" Hermione handed her a small piece of parchment with a few titles noted down in rough handwriting.

"Sure, not a problem," Gladys replied glancing at the list. "I'll bring them when I've got a minute."

"You're a lifesaver, Gladys," Hermione said as she left the room. Un-scrolling the inventory list Hermione sighed loudly. "Now I know why this project's been given to me."

Pulling out her wand Hermione set about the task of selecting the books she'd need from the ones she didn't.

"Miss Granger in today's modern world it is normal for a person to sleep in a _bed_," came a low voice early the next morning as Hermione half sat and half lay on the sofa in the library.

"What... what time is it?" Hermione mumbled, struggling to sit up.

"Almost six am," came the reply.

"Wha... oh, sod that," Hermione moaned, slowly trying to get to her feet. "I didn't get in until four." She'd spent almost fourteen hours in the library the night before, sifting through books and she wasn't even half done.

Snape snorted as Hermione staggered into the desk near the bookcase, walking completely in the wrong direction to the door in her daze. "Need assistance, Miss Granger?"

"I, no," she stammered, turning round toward the door. "I just... I'm... just... I...," she trailed off as she leant against the wall, more than half asleep. "So tired."

"Well far be it from me to hinder your trip to bed," he said as she slid slowly down the wall, unable to stand. Rolling his eyes he walked to her and picked her up as if she weighed next to nothing.

"What..."she started to say half heartedly before succumbing to her tiredness and leaning against him as he took her up the stairs.

She awoke again as he put her on her bed and took off her shoes. "I, oh, I'm in bed," she said dreamily. "I like my bed..."

"Miss Granger..." Snape began as he pulled the covers over her.

"I'm Hermione, not Miss Granger, and you're Severus not Snape... Severus. I like that name."

"Yes, well-"

"And you're a flirt," she continued interrupting him almost as if he wasn't there. "I like it though..."

"Goodnight, Miss Granger," he quietly replied closing the door. Hermione quickly fell asleep to the dim sound of his footsteps crossing the hall.

Rolling over Hermione pulled a face as she got rid of the hair in her mouth. She usually tied it up before bed to stop that, so...

_Oh no._

She sat up and pushed the covers off herself, revealing that she was still fully dressed in her clothes from yesterday.

A frown on her face, she tried to recall how she'd made it to bed. _Did I wake up and put myself in bed later on? I think I remember nodding off in the library..._

Climbing out of bed she began to take off her rumpled clothes, discarding them on the floor where they fell. Grabbing her wand and a towel which she wrapped around herself, Hermione left her room quietly tip toeing across the hall to the bathroom.

"_Tempus_," she whispered in the dim light coming in through the window.

'_17.00pm_'

She'd slept almost all day! _Oh well,_ she thought resignedly, _after fourteen or so hours in that library I suppose I needed it._

Turning on the water, Hermione stepped into the hot spray, still thinking about how she'd managed to get into her bed.

"OH!" she exclaimed aloud as she remembered what had happened. _He carried me up the stairs!_ She smiled at the thought that he'd taken the trouble to do that and how he'd obviously realised she was better off in a bed. The one thing that bothered her was what she may or may not have said to him.

It was a little known fact that if you wanted to get information out of Hermione Granger, you did it when she was tired. _Really_ tired. She was also very forthcoming with pieces of information she'd normally hold close to her chest. Hermione hated it.

Putting her hands over her face Hermione moaned. _I can't remember what I said. Knowing my luck I tried to get him in bed with me or told him just how sexy I find his hands or voice or... Crap._

Finishing her shower Hermione sat on the edge of the bath and dried herself quickly, casting a warming charm when the cold of the house finally penetrated the haze of sleep and the warmth from the shower.

It was useless to worry really. If she'd said something to that effect he'd either tease her relentlessly about it, use it to his advantage, _if he likes you,_ her mind chanted, or he'd ignore it and pretend he never heard her.

She was torn between options two and three and decided she'd go back to bed. She couldn't do anything about it now anyway.

The next morning Hermione's mind was much more relaxed about the 'Snape carrying me to bed' event and as such had decided two things. One – that as far as she was concerned it hadn't happened and she hadn't said anything embarrassing. She couldn't remember what she'd said anyway so there was no point in worrying.

Secondly, she was going to talk to Ron.

While she and Ron had indeed dated, it had been a lifetime time ago. He was now not only engaged to be married but also a father-to-be. She liked to think that they were close friends who knew each other all the better for their failed relationship.

Right now she needed **someone** to talk to about the whole _'Feelings for Snape'_ thing as she thought of it and between Ron and Harry there wasn't much of a choice.

Harry understood all the things that Severus Snape had done for the Order and respected him for his efforts in the war but Hermione knew it would be a long time until he'd be able to understand her feelings for him.

Ron wouldn't be happy, but he wouldn't go into a rage and start making accusations to Snape either. At least she hoped not.

Either way at half past eleven that morning, Hermione Floo-called Ron while he was at work.

"Heya, Hermione," he said cheerfully, putting down his coffee mug. "You alright?"

"Hi, Ron, I was wondering if we could have a chat?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"Sure! Come on through. I've got nothing going on until later, so I've plenty of time for you. I'm on a break now anyway."

"Thanks, Ron. I'll just be a minute."

Stepping back from the fireplace Hermione grabbed her cloak and used some Floo powder to travel to Ron's office.

"So how're things at Grimmauld Place?" Ron asked as soon as she stepped into the room and set to hang her cloak up. "Snape driving you batty yet?"

"It's okay," she answered. "And Severus is really not that bad. In fact," she continued getting straight to the point before she changed her mind, "I came to talk to you about something to do with him. You're not going to like it though."

"I'm not?"

"Err, no."

"But you have to tell me?" he asked, taking a sip from his coffee.

"Well, either you or Harry, and trust me you're the one I'd prefer right now."

Ron nodded, knowing that there were certain taboo subjects with Harry even now, years after the war. "Well I suppose if you must," he said, gesturing for her to take a seat. "Spill."

Hermione smiled, Ron's impatience was as strong as ever. "I," she started but stopped, not knowing exactly how to phrase it. Sure 'I love Severus Snape' might be clear enough, but she didn't want to shock him _that_ much.

"You...?" Ron prompted.

"I," she sighed loudly, "Fine, I have feelings for Severus Snape." _There, I said it._

Ron didn't reply straight away, he just looked at her, his face not registering any reaction.

"Ron?" Hermione said after a minute or so of him just sat staring at her. "Ron?"

"Well, you're right not to tell Harry. I'd be tearing over to Grimmauld Place right now if I were him."

"Don't I know it," Hermione said. "You know I can't believe he still feels that way about him. He has let the man live in Grimmauld Place while he awaits his trial and everything."

"Yeah, which I still reckon the Ministry's delaying on purpose," Ron added, reminding her of his conspiracy theory about the Ministry and the War trials.

"Hmm," Hermione said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. She realised they'd quickly left the topic of conversation. "So... Harry would be mad, but what about you?"

He put his cup down and stood, walking to the window on the other side of the room and looking out on the passers by. "I dunno, Hermione. I mean on one hand I think, great, because you've found someone you like. But on the other... it's Snape. I don't have a problem with him these days, provided I don't see him all the time that is. But I don't get it. Having dated you I know that you could be well suited in certain areas but I can't help but wonder what the appeal is."

"It's hard to explain, Ron," Hermione began, moving to stand next to him. "I mean he's always been interesting and different, even when we were at school. _However_ mean and horrid he was," she added quickly when he opened his mouth to comment.

"But since then and what with all the things that happened during the war... and his 'resurrection' so to speak. He's just...," she broke off, unable to quite explain what she meant in words.

"So you like him," Ron answered letting her off the hook in terms of explaining her reasoning to him. He turned to her and his head tilted in thought. "But does he like you?"

She smiled. Sometimes Ron knew exactly what the problem was without needing it pointed out. Yet another reason she was glad she'd come to speak to him. "I'm not sure."

"Not sure!" he asked his voice slightly mocking. "Hermione Granger doesn't know something! The world's ending, quick call the Prophet!"

She pushed at his arm, laughing as his joke. "Ron, knock it off, you always do that."

He nodded, smiling and pulled her to him for a quick hug. "I know." Pulling her back and holding her at arms length and looked at her seriously. "So 'not sure' is rather telling. What gives you the impression that he _does_?"

"Well, he has been a little... flirtatious," Hermione said. Her mind doubtful now that she was actually speaking about it.

"Like?"

"Well, he... he kissed my hand, and the other night he carried me up to bed when I'd fallen asleep on the sofa," she admitted blushing.

"Hmm, well the sofa thing you could put down to him wanting the room to his self I suppose, but kissing your hand? I'd take that as a good sign." Ron said, taking a seat again.

"I can't believe I just said that about Snape," Ron said after a moments thought. "You'd better not tell him!"

"I won't, don't worry," Hermione replied, laughing at the very idea.

"Well what, you came to ask _me_ for advice?" Ron asked sceptically.

"I think I did," Hermione admitted. "Circe knows how useful it'll be though," she laughed.

"Oh thanks! Really though, Hermione the way I see it there are only so many things you can do."

Hermione gestured for him to continue.

"Well he seems like he'd be the possessive and jealous type. So maybe if he thought you were going to go out on a date with someone he'd take action?"

Ron sat back in his chair, leaning it on the back to legs and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You could ask him outright," he said, "nah – he'd be all evasive most likely."

Hermione stifled a laugh at Ron's thinking aloud and continued to listen as he suggested various ideas. "You could kiss him... eww that's not an image I ever wanted in my head... You could flirt back," he added, looking up at her. "On second thought..."

"On second thought, what?" Hermione asked as he shook his head.

"Well... you're not exactly the best flirter, Hermione."

"I... What?! I can so flirt!" she argued.

"Ohhh? So you don't count the incident with Stephen Cornfoot and th-"

"Okay! Okay, I can't flirt," Hermione interrupted him blushing to the roots of her hair as she recalled that particularly mortifying incident almost two years ago.

Ron folded his arms as she confirmed his statement. "Well, so you can't flirt with him, but I suppose you could... be receptive to his flirting," he said.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, you know, laugh at his jokes," He paused as she raised an eyebrow at him, "Okay not jokes. You could just not run off if he flirts, and let him get close to you. That kind of thing."

"Right," Hermione said, "but hang on! When he kissed my hand he left the room straight after! What am I supposed to do? Follow him?"

"Well he probably did that because he wasn't sure how you'd take it, Hermione. You know, he was looking out for himself. You're a pretty mean witch with a wand when you've got a reason."

"I suppose," she admitted. "So... what do I do then?"

"Well just try to go with the flow, Hermione. Within reason of course," Ron answered.

"Thanks, Ron. I know you probably want to go obliviate yourself now..."

"Nah, just... don't tell me anything detail wise, okay?" He said seriously. "Then I _will_ need a memory charm."

"Okay it's a deal," Hermione nodded. "I still have sometime before I nip back into work and sort out yet more books for my project... How's Melody and the wedding planning going?"

Ron's head made a loud 'thump' sound as it met the table. _Not too well then,_ Hermione thought amusedly.


	4. Intrusions and Bad Habits

**Chapter 4 – Intrusions and Bad Habits**

Dragging herself wearily into Grimmauld Place, Hermione hung up her cloak and headed to the kitchen to make some tea leaving her bag near the umbrella stand in the hallway.

She'd finally finished sorting out the books she needed for this next project at work and they were safely shrunk and lightened in the bag. It had only taken her a total of _twenty one bloody hours!_

_No wonder they gave it to me. Most of them would have taken one look at that book list and willingly run a mile over hot coals to not do it._

Sighing, Hermione slowly entered the kitchen and began making tea, her mind so focused on obtaining the much needed refreshment that she didn't hear someone enter the room until the door clicked shut.

"Hello, Granger," came a voice she'd heard only the week before. _Malfoy._

Turning around she looked at him quizzically. "Malfoy, why are you here?"

Pulling out the chair at the end of the table, he sat and turned to her, "I'm visiting Severus, of course."

"Oh. I didn't know you did that," Hermione said turning back to her tea. "Do you want some tea?"

"Please," he replied. "It's the first time I've been able to really. My parents were... less than enthusiastic about my wishing to visit him for some reason."

"Really, so now that you're in the flat you're not listening to them?" Hermione asked wondering if he'd open up to her.

"Very astute, yes, I'm officially disowned. Or at least until my father accepts that I'm trying to be my own man and not a mini him."

Hermione turned back at him and smiled honestly. "Good for you."

"Thanks, I guess," he replied thoughtfully.

"Sugar? Milk?"

"Just one sugar, no milk."

Giving him the one sugar, Hermione joined him at the table, a pack of biscuits set between them to nibble on. They sat quietly for a few moments, just thinking their own thoughts until Draco broke the silence.

"He likes you, you know."

Hermione turned to him her brow creased, unable to quite believe what she'd heard. "Pardon?"

"Severus. He likes you. A lot," Draco repeated.

"I..."

"Don't go all timid and shy, Hermione, you know he does or at least you have an idea. Don't you?" Draco asked, biting a biscuit noisily.

"Well... I have noticed a couple of things," she answered warily.

Draco nodded and finished his biscuit slowly, not saying anything else for a few minutes more. Hermione, becoming uneasy in the silence, stood and washed her cup and turned once she'd finished to see if Draco's cup was empty, only to find him standing and walking to the door.

"Thanks for the tea, Granger. Look," he said, shifting from one foot to the other before looking her in the eyes for a moment. "He likes you and I know he won't take that last step and tell you outright. If you want him you'll have to do something, too. No matter how it might seem with his flirting, he doesn't want to think he's forced you into anything. He'll need you to approach him first."

Hermione bit her lip as he spoke, realising that he must know the truth. _He does know the man better than most_, she conceded. "Thanks, Draco," Hermione said, using his first name for once and surprising him. "I understand what you mean... it's just doing it that's the problem."

He smiled. "I know. Just don't leave it too long; he's never been what you'd call patient." Nodding, he slipped through the door and headed back to the library, leaving Hermione to wash his mug and mull over what he'd said.

... ... ... ... ...

Leaving the kitchen ten minutes later after a quick sandwich, and with a jumble of confused thoughts running through her head, Hermione looked first at the staircase and then down the hallway to the library door. It was open, the small amount of light from the fire and the few lamps in the room spilling out onto the dark floor of the hall.

Not really thinking about it she wandered down the hallway until she stood nearly at the door to the library, listening to the quiet crackle of the fire and the occasional murmur from Snape or Malfoy.

Taking a peek inside, Hermione could just see in the low light that Draco lay out on the sofa, his feet hanging over one end. Snape as ever, sat in the high backed chair, his long legs stretched out toward the fire and one hand holding a wine glass over the arm of the chair. They were speaking quietly but she couldn't discern what it was they were saying. After a few more moments observation, she withdrew and turned to head towards the stairs.

"Miss Granger," Snape's voice called from the room as she started to walk away.

_Shit. Did he see me? How did he see me?_ Hermione's mind panicked as she turned, almost as if she were a puppet on a string, and walked into the library.

"Sir?" Hermione said as she entered the room, grateful for once for the dim lighting so that her blush was somewhat hidden.

"This came though the Floo earlier. Draco forgot to bring it to you when he went to the kitchen," he said, holding out a small envelope to her.

Taking it she glanced at Draco where he lay on the sofa, one arm thrown behind his head and he smirked at her knowingly. _He'd forgotten on purpose then._

"Thanks," Hermione said sheepishly. She'd been caught trying to listen in on their conversation and although he hadn't called her on it, he knew she knew it.

Crossing his legs at the ankle he smirked up at her from the chair and said, "Goodnight, Miss Granger. I shall see you in the morning."

Knowing this was her cue to leave she nodded and turned to Draco, "Night, Draco," she said, exaggerating his first name a little. "See you around."

"Night, Hermione," he replied in the same tone as she. "I'm sure you will. Remember what I said."

"I will. Goodnight, Sir," Hermione said, turning back to Snape and noting the faint frown on his face. Moving to the doorway Hermione almost missed his quiet, "Goodnight, Miss Granger." She smiled to herself and after picking up her bag, she set off up the stairs.

Once in her room Hermione turned her attention to the letter. Looking at her name on the front she recognised the handwriting as Ron's. _What's up now?_ Hermione thought amused. After their talk about Snape she'd discovered that the wedding planning was in the process of being taken over by a very controlling and selectively deaf Molly Weasley. Hermione had been very glad at that moment in time the she and Ron had never reached that stage in their relationship. She didn't think she could cope with Molly as a mother-in-law.

_Hermione,_

_Just to let you know that me and Harry will be coming over the day after tomorrow – sometime late afternoon-ish. Thought I'd tell you in advance, don't want to interrupt you snogging Snape. Ugh._

_Anyway, I think Harry's got it in his head to set you up on a date or something. Be warned._

_Take care,_

_Ron x_

_P.S. – If Snape sees this you have to obliviate him!_

Smiling, Hermione put the letter inside her bag and took out the shrunken boxes of books. Setting them in order on the table according to the numbers just visible on the lids, she sighed heavily.

She'd somehow ended up bringing over a hundred and eighty books back home from the Ministry and needed to go through all of them. _In a month._ It looked like for the first time in her career she'd be asking for an extension.

Dumping her bag on the bed she drew out her wand and cast an unshrinking charm on the first three boxes. Books by authors A though D, each written on Defence Against the Dark Arts and most of which would be utterly useless, not to mention out of date. She arranged them in piles by surname and then stopped, too tired to do anything else that night.

Quickly undressing she got into bed and started trying to think through what Draco had said to her that night.

_So number one, he likes me. I like him back. Number two, he will and has flirted with me, but won't approach me properly. Why? Draco said it was about him feeling like he's pushing me into something, but he should know I'd not one to do anything I don't want to. So... maybe he's afraid of rejection? I suppose it fits after everything that's happened..._ Hermione hit her pillow, trying to plump it up and flopped back down on it, her plaited hair over one shoulder. _Three, he seems to be slightly jealous if the look he gave Draco earlier was anything to go by. Perhaps Ron and Harry coming the day after tomorrow could be used to an advantage..._

Hermione's thoughts drifted onto other things as she slowly fell asleep, her mind replaying the conversations and interactions with Severus Snape she'd experienced since she started living at Grimmauld Place.

... ... ... ... ...

Grabbing her towel and wand, Hermione took one last glance at the stack of papers she'd only part worked through, and headed for the bathroom down the hall.

She'd spent way too long on this project for one day, and her body was protesting the idea of continuing. She'd been up since the crack of dawn reading, reporting, and analysing things that were absolute rubbish. She had known that there were a lot of books on Dark Arts defence but... that so many of them were works of fiction made her furious. She'd managed to discard a large group of them from the list at the library but had ended up bringing home a lot more than she'd wanted to. Which meant a lot more work and thus tons more paperwork – the one thing Hermione had come to hate about her job.

_I got a whole six done today_, she thought to herself as she flicked her wand in the direction of the bath causing it to start filling and a mass of scented bubbles to spread out over the surface of the water. _So just another hundred and seventy four odd to go. Fabulous._

Sighing in relief Hermione sunk into the bubble-filled bath tub until only her eyes and nose were above the bubbles. The hot water helped to ease her tender back muscles and soothed her neck.

_Who knew paperwork could be so damn stressful? s_he thought to herself. Taking the flannel from the side of the tub, she quickly soaped herself up and washed thoroughly, getting the necessities out of the way before she'd properly relax.

_Now, where's that book,_ she thought, looking to the tiled floor beside the bath. _Bugger, I forgot it._

She settled back into the hot water, closing her eyes and considered leaving the book where it was and just letting her mind wander for once. But as soon as she did, her thoughts immediately turned to her dark haired housemate and their recent interactions.

That wouldn't do at all. Sitting up again she grabbed her wand from next to the taps and cast a small charm on the door, causing it to open slightly.

"_Accio_ Temptations and Passions," she said half heartedly. Settling back to wait, Hermione ducked her head fully under the water luxuriating in the feel of the warm bath. Holding her breath underwater always made her remember her baths at home when she was little and how her mum used to pour a jug or water on her head to wash her hair. She smiled beneath the bubbles as she recalled how often she'd cried because she'd got soap in her eyes.

She surfaced and glanced toward the door where the book ought to be appearing any second...

Only it didn't.

_Hmm._ Picking up her wand again, she repeated the Accio charm, concentrating harder this time and waiting impatiently.

It arrived a few moments later, sliding into the bathroom through the slightly ajar door and coming to a stop above her. Hermione grabbed it from the air when it threatened to fall into the water. _Took your time_, she thought wryly, settling back into the tub. Opening the well worn book to her favourite chapter, where the leading man effortlessly charms his way into the damsel's under things, Hermione settled in for a nice reread of her favourite sordid romance novel.

That lasted all of about three minutes before the door to the bathroom swung wide open and her housemate Severus Snape stood in the doorway, his eyes most definitely _not_ on her face.

Making an 'eep!' noise, Hermione pulled her arms to her chest in an attempt to cover herself and dropped the book into the bath in the process. "Um, Sir?" Hermione said her face getting redder by the second.

Her voice made him realise where he was looking and his head swung towards the opposite wall, only to swing back again when he found himself looking at a mirror image of Hermione in the bath.

"I didn't realise you were in here, Miss Granger," he said visibly pulling himself together and taking a step into the room.

"I...," Hermione trailed off, her eyes widening as he came further into the room.

"It's common practice to lock or ward the door while taking a bath," he said, a smirk developing on his face.

She blushed and opened her mouth to explain but as he moved closer to the bath, she moved to try to cover herself up more in compensation. It was a good thing she'd decided on a bubble bath she told herself as she stared up at him.

"Reading in the bath is never a good idea and a horrible habit to boot," he said as he noticed the book that was now floating in the bath above her stomach. "Books get absolutely ruined by the steam and such."

She nodded dumbly and looked away, still unsure of what to say.

"_Accio_" he paused as he read the title. "Temptations and Passions", he commanded. She gasped as drops of water splashed her face as the book flew into his hand.

"Oh, so this is what you're reading?" Snape intoned, brow raised in question. "One does wonder why this type of drivel is so popular..."

Turning away he walked toward the door, reading the back of the paperback as he went. "I'll leave you to it then, Miss Granger," he said, looking over his shoulder at her once again, before glancing down at a page in the book. "Septimus Sinclair, the devastatingly handsome magician quickly grasped... honestly! Miss Granger, if you want inane drivel read something by Lockhart, this is just... utter rubbish!"

Closing the door behind himself Hermione heard him wander down the stairs toward the kitchen or the library, the sound of his footsteps more obvious in the silence left behind in the bathroom.

... ... ... ... ...

Back in her room a short time later Hermione sat thinking about her housemate's intrusion of her bath time. She knew he'd most likely done it on purpose; after all there were only so many places she could be.

Sighing, she cast a drying charm on her hair and began the task of plaiting it to keep it out of the way. _It seems like the only thing that's been going on in my life lately is reading for work, thinking about Snape and staying in, in the hope that he'll approach me again._

_Well he did tonight, didn't he Hermione? In the bath of all places. What does that tell you about how he feels?_

She didn't know. On one hand she was pretty sure that if he had the gall to do that, he was telling her pretty obviously that he liked her. His observation of her chest told her that rather well. But on the other she couldn't help but doubt herself.

She'd not dated much really, being far more interested in work and other things to value the idea of having someone to be with. Harry and Ron had, early on, both tried and failed to set her up. Ron had eventually seen the 'light' so to speak and stopped nagging her to find someone when it became clear to him that she wasn't looking. Harry on the other hand, well, he hadn't been single for more than a week at a time since the war had ended and had developed an irritating stance that a person is only complete when they're with someone. It drove her nuts.

Standing from her seat on the bed, Hermione tidied up her papers from the days work and quickly climbed into bed, even though she was still wide awake.

She hated not being certain about things. Hated not knowing. This thing with Snape was driving her mad, and in some ways she wished that she'd never come to Grimmauld Place. At least then he'd just be one of her daydreams instead of this strange reality.

Snuggling down under the duvet Hermione tried to relax and get to sleep, but it wouldn't work. She couldn't stop thinking about all the things he'd said to her, and she couldn't get the image of him out of her mind.

Rolling onto her back she opened her eyes and looked about the dark room, trying to distract herself but it was no use. He was on her mind and she couldn't shake it.

Licking her lips she moved a hand under the covers, pulling her top up so that her stomach was bared and began rubbing it in small circles, thinking back on the daydreams she had piled up over the years that starred Severus Snape.

Her hand moved down under the edge of her pyjama bottoms and into her underwear, a favourite fantasy playing out in her mind.

_Stood in the middle of the room, naked but for her underwear, Hermione listened intently for signs that he was in the room still. The blindfold on her eyes distracting her as the smooth silk of it touched her skin._

_"Severus?" she says quietly._

_"I'm here, Hermione," he replies coming to stand behind her, his arms encircling her waist. "Tell me what you want, Hermione," he says into her ear, his voice ragged with emotion._

_"I want... I want you to touch me," she answers breathily, grasping his hand and guiding it between her thighs. "Here."_

_He kisses her neck and does as she asks, his fingers moving beneath her knickers and probing her folds gently until his fingers happen upon her clitoris with unflinching accuracy..._

Hermione bit her lip hard as she lost herself in her imagination, her fingers taking the place that she longed Severus' to.

_"What else, Hermione?" he asks biting on her neck lightly, his fingers driving her crazy because he won't give her the pressure she so desperately wants._

_"Oh, more... please, more," she gasps, leaning heavily against him. "Harder, I need... yes... that...," she cries out. He does as she asks, finding himself unable to deny her and she slowly crumbles around him. "Severus..."_

Hermione's free hand reached out and clenched the bed covers as she climaxed, her mind firmly thinking of Snape as she did. "Ahhha!" she gasped, louder than she meant to.

_Hermione's knees gave way as she orgasmed, causing him to hold onto her tightly and lower them both to the soft carpet. "Oh god," she uttered into his neck as he held her close._

_Softly running a hand over her stomach, he caressed her skin looking into her eyes questioningly._

_"Perfect," she said in reply to the unasked question._

Hermione's free hand travelled in patterns over her stomach as Snape's did in her mind, her other hand still in her underwear gently caressing herself until eventually she stopped, relaxed enough to try sleeping.

Taking her hand out of her underwear Hermione cast a light cleaning charm, dropping her wand on the bedside table afterwards and lay on her side in the dark yet again.

Thinking more calmly about her situation now, Hermione made herself a promise. She was going to try and find out where this thing with him could lead. If she had to do something to move it on, she would. She just had to try not to make an idiot out of herself or... well, run away in embarrassment or something.

... ... ... ... ...

Having had a late breakfast and done a little work, Hermione decided she'd work in the library for once. Not only did it mean a change of scenery it also meant the possibility of _him_ being there.

Grabbing the big stack of books from the edge of the kitchen table Hermione set off at a slight stagger for the library, hoping that the fire was lit already because it was cold yet again.

Pushing the door open wider with her foot Hermione took a few steps into the room and dumped the books on the first chair she came across, surprised by how much they weighed when full size.

"Good morning, Miss Granger," Snape said from his seat by the fireplace.

"Good morning, Sir," she replied cheerfully, grabbing the top two books as well as the parchment and self inking quill from the pile. "I thought I'd work in here for a while today."

"Your latest project?"

"Defence against the Dart Arts. I've need to go through and produce a full report on all the literature available," she explained.

He closed the book he'd been reading, one of hers, and asked her, his face mocking, "_All_ the books?"

"No, not really. Just the decent ones or what are supposed to be the decent ones anyway. Which it turns out is very few. I start reading and then find out three chapters in that the author hasn't ever even seen a vampire however thinks they're the number one authority on how to kill one. I've yet to actually find a book that's decent." She looked down at the book she held in her hand entitled '101 Ways to keep safe' by Mr K. Bruhn. _Yet another one that looks to be a hopeless case._

He laughed, making her look up at him. "Miss Granger, you'll be looking for a long, long time in that case."

"Oh, I know," she replied. "I'm just glad I managed to whittle the book list down to about one eighty before I brought them back here. Honestly, some of the books on the list in the library at the Ministry were less use than a chocolate teapot."

"I don't doubt it," he added before turning back to the book he held.

Hermione read for a little while, finding out that Mr K. Bruhn's book only actually had 89 ways to keep safe, all of which were based upon the idea of not leaving the house. Shutting it with a noise she put it on the floor by her feet and turned to look into the fire, in contemplation.

"Bored already, Miss Granger?" Snape said, breaking her reverie.

"Oh, no, just thinking," she replied, turning to look at him and taking note of the book he was reading out of interest.

_Temptations and Passions._

Smiling Hermione looked back to his face and asked as offhandedly as she could, "Enjoying the book, Sir? Even though it's... what was it... oh yes, 'utter rubbish'?"

He smirked at her and turned to the book before replying, "Call it intrigue into why you should find it so interesting to have read it more than a few times judging by the look of the pages, Miss Granger."

She stuttered for a moment realising how obvious it was that she'd read and re-read that book so many times before quickly recovering, not allowing him to embarrass her with a book. "It has its uses," she said, her cheeks pink.

He looked up to her, one eyebrow raised, "That so? I would have thought, Miss Granger that your imagination could do much better than this. It's hardly the best piece of erotic literature to be published."

Hermione shifted on the sofa, something that didn't escape his attention. "Uncomfortable?" he asked.

"No, just... Well it's not something I've ever really discussed before..." she trailed off.

"Which, your imagination or the book?" he said, the smirk on his face growing.

"Both," she answered honestly.

"Ah I see," he said looking back to the fire, "so you've never told a close friend your most valued daydream, your most illicit desire?" He paused turning his head back to her. "What or _who_ you most... want?"

Hermione swallowed and attempted to stop herself from blushing, unsuccessfully. "I," she began, her throat tight, "I haven't really had any close female friends..."

He nodded and turned back to the flames for a moment before standing up and moving to sit next to her on the sofa, the book still in his hand. Hermione's heart beat faster and she turned to face him as he settled himself next to her, one of his legs brushing the side of hers.

"This," he began, opening the book to a particularly worn page as he held the book on his knee, "seems to be a part you like."

Hermione moved slightly so that she could see which page he meant and ended up leaning against his shoulder to be able to see.

"Well," he said, his eyes running over the words quickly, "I suppose it has a basic value in that it's worded in such a way as could appeal to some." Turning the page he quickly continued to read how Septimus Sinclair seduced and brought the young maiden to the brink of madness and back. _Yes, one of the more thoroughly read sections_, her mind admitted.

"This though," he said pointing out a paragraph to her. "Rubbish. How an author can be allowed to use such insipid terminology is what I don't understand. That's what editors are for."

Hermione looked up at his face as he spoke, wondering quite what he was hoping to achieve by doing this. He wasn't trying to educate her on the finer points of erotic literature that was for sure.

He turned to face her as he spoke but stopped as he realised how close they were. He looked at her, his eyes dipping between her eyes and her lips a few times before moving slightly closer and his body turning towards hers.

_Kiss me,_ Hermione thought. _Do it and don't stop._

It didn't happen though, because at that moment, Ron and Harry arrived at Grimmauld Place via the Floo in the next room, shouting for Hermione the minute they were able to.

... ... ... ... ...


	5. Disturbances and Revelations

A/N: SO SO SO sorry it's been so long since I updated this!

**Chapter 5 – Disturbances and Revelations.**

"You there, Hermione?" Ron called loudly, giving Harry a hand up from the floor. Even now he still couldn't land on his feet nine times out of ten.

"Hey! Sorry," Hermione said, hurrying into the room her cheeks aflame.

"There you are," Harry said. Giving her a quick hug he pulled a face and rubbed his arms. "It's freezing in here as usual. Let's go into the library, yeah?"

Nodding, Hermione let the two of them lead the way. Her mind was still racing from the incident between her and Snape only moments before.

When Ron had called out her name she'd automatically turned toward the door and away from Snape. He'd then moved away and the moment between them had passed. _Why did they have to come NOW?_ Hermione thought as she followed them into the library, closing the door behind herself to keep some heat in. It wasn't worth the magical expenditure to heat the whole house with charms anymore, especially now that there were only two full time occupants.

The boys had made it so far into the room before realising that it was already occupied. Hermione noted with interest the Snape had moved back to his usual chair but hadn't left the room. Something Hermione had half expected him to do. Harry and Ron stood still for a moment, obviously uneasy until Hermione sat down on the sofa and waved for them to take a seat. "Come on!" she said, pointedly ignoring the tension in the room.

"Snape," Harry said blandly once he'd seated himself next to Hermione on the sofa, leaving Ron no option but to take a seat on the rug in front of the fire.

"Potter, I take it you're well?" Snape replied, rather less acidly than he would have in the past.

"Yes, thanks," Harry replied and that was the end of it. Snape turned back to Hermione's book and Harry turned round to Hermione and smiled.

"So, Harry, what's up?" Hermione asked innocently.

"We just thought we'd pop by and see how you are, is all," he replied, settling into the sofa and toeing his shoes off. "Have you had any luck at finding a flat?" he continued. "Not that there's any rush or anything."

Hermione shook her head. "Not much," she said, "I've been so busy working this week I've not really had the chance to get looking again."

"Change over time again?" Ron asked aware that she must have just started a new project.

"Yeah a big one," she said, pointing to the pile of books at one end of the sofa.

"So..." Harry began slowly, a look of slight uncertainty mixed with determination across his features, "I had an idea the other day."

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She looked past Harry's shoulder noting that Snape had raised the book above the level of his eyes... but not before she saw the smirk gracing his lips. No doubt he was struggling to hold back whatever sarcastic comment he had.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, there's this guy at work..." he trailed off as Hermione let out a low groan which made Ron laugh.

"Told you, Harry," he said from his place on the floor in front of the fire.

"No, just listen, Hermione," Harry continued, desperation edging into his voice. "He just wants to get to know you."

"Harry..." Hermione began, her hands covering her face as if she was trying to hide.

"Aw come on, Hermione," Ron said from the floor causing her to look at him strangely. He knew she was trying to sort things out with Snape! Cocking his head towards the man in the chair, he continued, "I mean... what have you got to lose?"

"Yeah, Hermione," Harry piped up. "It's not like you have to see him again."

"Maybe, Harry. I just don't see-" Hermione began but was cut off as Harry smiled and said a 'yes!' to the ceiling.

"Harry!" She said sharply, making him look to her. She saw Ron bite back a laugh at his behaviour out of the corner of one eye but let it go. "Honestly I'm not giving you a definite answer, okay? We'll see," she said, folding her arms over her chest and looking at him seriously.

"Just... don't push me on these things, Harry. You know I don't like it."

"But that does mean yes, right?" he said, looking at her hopefully.

She didn't answer other than to put her head in her hands and wish he'd get the picture.

"And here I was thinking that a monogamous relationship meant that one didn't see other people," Snape spoke quietly, closing Hermione's book and putting it on the arm of the chair.

Hermione's head shot up at his comment, her mouth open while her brain tried to sort out some sort of a response. "Wha..."

"Hermione, if we're to have an open relationship I would appreciate a little advance warning," he said standing from the chair and approaching her, passing in front of a silent and confused looking Harry in the process. Bending down so his face was level with hers he moved so his mouth was next to her ear and spoke quietly, his breath warm on her ear. "I'm not one who likes to share."

She moved her head back so that she could see into the man's eyes and drew her eyebrows together, confused. _What was he doing?_

Standing up slowly, Snape nodded to Harry before leaving the room silently.

"Hermione... what was that?" Ron ventured quietly, looking at Harry as he did. Harry hadn't moved, he was sat still looking for all the world like he was contemplating the meaning of life and was having a very hard time coming to grips with the answer.

Hermione came to her senses quickly as Ron spoke and stood up, glancing at Harry before replying. "I... I'll be back in a moment," she said, leaving the room.

Outside the closed library door Hermione stood still and thought for a few moments. _Ok so what _was _that?_ Hermione sighed in frustration and decided to try and find out what the man was playing at. _Now._

... ... ... ... ...

Hermione hurried down the hallway after Snape, her cheeks pink and almost ran into the sideboard in her haste. Reaching the kitchen, she stopped in the doorway and crossed her arms, anger and confusion radiating from her very being. "What the _hell_ was that?" she said in a harsh whisper.

"What was what?" Snape asked nonchalantly his back to her as he made himself some tea.

"That... that... You just made it look like me and you were... are..." she stuttered, cheeks going an even deeper shade of red.

"Dating? Courting?" Snape said, turning to look at her. "That was the intention. Oh and it's you and I, not me and you."

"But, I, we... it's not true!" she declared, ignoring the little voice in the back of her head that claimed she wished it were otherwise. Especially with the way he'd been behaving recently.

"They don't know that, do they?" he said, gesturing behind her in the general direction of the library.

"So? That's not the point!"

He sighed and turned around to pour his tea into his cup. "And here I thought you'd be grateful."

"Grateful?" she echoed unbelievably, coming into the kitchen and pushing the door to behind her as she did.

"Yes, after all I saved you from what would no doubt be an absolute waste of time. Namely the blind date they were trying to persuade you to go on."

"I was going to say no," she answered, walking to the cupboard to grab a cup.

"So when you said 'maybe' and 'we'll see', you meant no?" he said, pouring tea into her cup.

"I... yes," she answered lamely. It was true she didn't want to go, but she hated telling Harry no. While Ron had slowly come to accept Hermione's appreciation for being single, Harry wouldn't, or couldn't, believe that she was happier on her own. _Liar_, her mind supplied, _you do want someone. It's just that you're not sure they want you. Or you weren't until a little while ago._

"Well, I'm sure you would have convinced them both thoroughly," he said passing her her cup of tea, complete with one sugar and a little milk as she always took it. "But now there is no need to as they think you are otherwise... engaged in that area."

She sighed, resisting the urge to bang her head against the wall when the door in to the library opened, creaking as it did.

"Hey, 'Mione, you coming back to explain? Harry's not looking too happy," Ron said loudly as he made his way down the corridor to the kitchen.

Hermione looked up and then quickly to Snape. Putting her tea down, she made to go to the door to make him shut up before Ron began to dig his grave even deeper, but was pulled back as Snape grasped her wrist and tugged her toward him.

"Wha-mmf," she began to ask, but was cut off as his lips came into contact with hers. A gentle pressure of lips on lips, but one he was controlling nonetheless.

"'Mione, did you hear me? I said- Oh. Holy..." Ron said as he stood gawping in the doorway.

Severus pulled back from Hermione and turned to Ron with a completely straight face. "Mr Weasley, if you'd be so kind as to shut the door for a moment, Hermione will be right with you."

Nodding mutely, Ron began pulling the door shut, with his eyes wide as Snape held onto Hermione possessively.

Hermione was astonished. He'd just kissed her. _He'd just KISSED her!_ She turned to look up at Snape... no Severus.

"What the," she began in a low voice, but a finger came up to her lips stopping her from continuing.

"One moment," he said quietly. Standing back from her he looked at her appraisingly for a moment, then shook his head. "You need more... more."

Hermione blinked and frowned. "More... what?" she asked confused and assumed he was insulting her cleavage... or lack thereof.

"More... ah, yes," he stopped and raised a hand to her collar, pausing to look at her face before undoing one of the buttons on her blouse. "That should work."

"Work?" She asked.

"You'll see," he answered. Picking up his tea from the side, he went over to the door, opening it to reveal a still dumbstruck Ron. "Mr Weasley, excuse me."

Ron took a step to the side and Severus passed before turning round to look at Hermione. "I'll see you in a while, Hermione. I'll leave you to talk with the... boys." With one last look at Ron's shocked face, he ascended the stairs towards his room in silence.

Hermione pulled out a chair from the under the table and plonked herself down on it as Ron slowly came into the room toward her. "He... kissed me," she whispered.

"Um, Hermione... what's going on?" Ron asked, coming round the table to take a seat next to her. "Cause from here it kinda looks like you and Snape _are_... well. Together," he said his face screwing up as he tried to process the idea of it. "I thought you'd not got that far yet...?" he said, looking pointedly at her open blouse.

Hermione just sat there, one hand on her lips trying to let it sink in that he'd finally kissed her. _And it had been out of some twisted desire to wind the boys up!_

... ... ... ... ...

Hermione made her way upstairs slowly, her mind still reeling from what had happened roughly half an hour earlier. She'd snapped out of her daze when Harry had stormed into the kitchen and asked if it was true. Suffice to say Harry wasn't exactly quiet about it and had woken up Mrs Blacks' portrait.

She'd then quickly made a few lame excuses about having a few things to sort out, gesturing up to the portrait for a start, and that she was 'obviously not able to go on that blind date' and that she had 'a lot of things to do, so could they come another time'.

Five minutes after that, after trying to keep Harry from searching out Snape, Ron had disappeared through the Floo dragging Harry with him

Flopping down onto her bed, she lay there trying to think why Snape... no, Severus, had done what he had. _Was it because he just wanted to annoy the boys? He always did like to wind them up. Did he want to trick her into thinking she had a chance? Did he know how she felt? Did he really like her? Was this all part of a plan she wasn't aware of?_ She sat up and rubbed her eyes irritably. Why did it have to go like this?

Standing she decided to got have a hot shower and get an early night... even if it was only eight thirty. She really couldn't face Severus right now and although she knew she'd never get to sleep, it was better to at least try.

... ... ... ... ...

Waking up the next morning, Hermione sat up and yawned. She'd not slept well and had woken up numerous times with thoughts of the evening running though her head. When she wasn't thinking about what she was going to tell Harry she was reliving the moment Severus had leant into her and spoken into her ear. Suffice to say that had spawned a few more fantasies which had immediately been stored for later use.

_Of all the things to happen_, Hermione thought as she crossed the room to the dresser and began selecting things to wear for the day. After dressing slowly she opened her door, unsure of quite what she was going to say to him, and made her way downstairs.

He wasn't in the kitchen when she got there so she helped herself to some cereal and tea, eating quickly because she'd missed out on her evening meal the night before.

Part of her wanted to hide in her room and concentrate on work. Avoid him and hope that the situation sorted itself out. She knew it wasn't realistic and her stubborn side stamped its foot and demanded she confront him. Somehow.

Finishing up her breakfast and leaving the dishes in the sink Hermione made her way to the library, if he was there, she'd talk to him. If he wasn't, well, she'd do some work.

Peering around the door frame Hermione couldn't see him in his chair or the sofa and sighed – partly in relief and partly because it was something she'd have to do later. It wasn't in her nature to _not_ do something once she knew it needed to be done.

Settling down onto the sofa with her notes and books Hermione set about commenting on the book she'd written off as useless yesterday in her notes.

'_Mr K. Bruhn – 101 Ways to Keep Safe'. Needs reclassifying, no defence mentioned, only 89 'ways' in total_. _Crap, _she added, scowling at the book, before crossing it out and finishing with:_ Atrocious Grammar._

Putting the book to one side Hermione leant down slightly to one side to pick up the next from the pile on the floor, reading her previous notes as she did, but stopped as she felt something rather more alive in the way.

Looking up she saw the Severus Snape stood over her, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Good morning," he said simply, moving out of the way so she could get at the books.

Hermione didn't reply, annoyed that he'd snuck up on her and hadn't said anything. She picked up the next book in the pile only to find that it was 'Temptations and Passions'.

"I finished it last night, so thought to leave it where you'd find it," he said as he sat himself down in his usual chair.

"Right," Hermione said crisply, putting it to one side and picking up the next book on her pile. She opened the book, looking half heartedly down the contents page and then flicked her eyes up to find that he was watching her.

"What?"

He shook his head and said, "Nothing, I was just watching."

"So I noticed. You seem to have taken to doing some rather _unusual_ things in the last few days, Sir."

He didn't reply, just sat there looking at her his face showing no reaction. It wound her up even more and she shut the book on her lap with a snap. "What was that yesterday?!" she finally bit out.

"What was what?" he replied neutrally, seemingly unaware of her anger.

"That? What!? The kiss! You kissed me!" she said standing up and moving toward the fireplace.

"Oh that," he said.

She whipped around quickly to face him, her ire growing yet more. "I, you... Severus Snape!" she said loudly, "I want to know why you did it!"

Moving to the bookcase behind the chair, his back to her he replied, "I told you before, I thought I was helping you."

Hermione was speechless. _So he's sticking to that is he?_ Hermione thought, frustrated.

"Helping!?" she all but shouted, remembering at the last minute to keep her voice down, lest she wake Mrs Black. "Helping," she hissed her voice quieter. "How the hell did you think that that would help?"

"Well, Potter stopped nagging you, didn't he?" he replied as he browsed the bookcase he obviously knew by heart.

"It won't stop him asking what the bloody hell you were playing at!"

He turned around then, walking to the side table and leaning against it. "Really?" he said sounding rather amused.

"Yes really!" Hermione barely resisted the urge to stamp her foot and kick the fire place.

Turning away from him she leant one arm against the fireplace and looked into the flames, her mind racing. "You don't get it," she said quietly, her anger fading.

"Well then why don't you explain it to me," he said from his position against the side table as he looked out of the window.

Turning her head towards him she started speaking over her shoulder. "I just... gah! This past week or so with you here has confused the hell out of me. When I first got here you were your usual sarcastic self and I thought I'd cope, but then you changed, you started flirting. DON'T you deny it," she added as she saw him look at her. "You started flirting, that night in the kitchen for instance, then when you kissed my hand. Not to mention the glances and veiled comments."

She moved from her position in front of the fireplace and moved around the sofa, closer to him. "You confused the hell out of me because I don't know whether you mean it or if you're just messing about with my feelings because I'm the only other person in the house."

Taking a few steps closer, closing the gap between them, she continued, "And then you kissed me. As if I wasn't confused enough about how you felt about me before you went and made it ten times worse last night." She sighed and shut her eyes, clenching her hands into tight fists before releasing them and looking up at him. "You confuse me."

He looked back at her, his face unreadable and slowly, almost too slowly for Hermione to bear, he moved. Standing straight he took that final step that lay between them and brought a hand up to brush his thumb across her cheek, rubbing away the tear she hadn't realised was there.

"I don't mean to," he said softly, almost as if he were afraid to.

Standing there for what seemed to Hermione like a small lifetime she heard those words echoed in her head over and over again as she looked into his eyes. Until, still moving slowly as if he were afraid she'd reject him, he brought his lips to hers.

It was like a dam had burst. Hermione's tense muscles in her back, her neck, and even her knees, relaxed and she leant into the kiss. It was gentle at first, nothing more than lips on lips, and then she felt his mouth open. He sucked her lower lip a little, teasing it with his teeth before making a deep sound in his throat and bringing his other hand to hold her head, his fingers tangling in her hair. The kiss changed then, becoming more aggressive and Hermione's arms came up to hold his torso, clinging onto the material as if it were life itself. His tongue probed her mouth, tasting, teasing, learning and Hermione lost herself to the feelings running though her.

Barely minutes later, and far too soon for Hermione's liking, he pulled away from her completely, his head down. "I'm... sorry."

Hermione was puzzled. "What for?" she asked, bending so she could see his face, partially hidden from view by his hair.

"I shouldn't have done that," he said bringing his eyes up to meet hers. "I meant for you to be the one who... instigated anything."

Hermione shook her head. "That's silly," she said, making him scowl.

"Honestly! If you _had_ tried anything that I didn't want, do you really think I would have even hesitated to hex you?" He shook his head slightly, still unsure. "You know as much as I admire you not wanting to pressure me into anything... I think you should have kissed me a long time ago."

He sat back against the side table again, his arms by his sides, grasping the edge. "You... really do like me?" he said looking like he didn't believe what he was hearing. "I mean I thought I was sure you felt some... attraction to me, and I'll admit at first I was trying to find out more about that... but... well, then I realised I was attracted to you too and it changed."

Hermione smiled and moved to lean against the side table next to him. "So I like you, and you like me. What now?" she asked, looking up to him with a smile on her face.

... ... ... ... ...

Only one more chapter to go. I'll post it when I'm able. Please leave me a review, they feed the muse! ;)


	6. Epilogue

A/N: This is it, the last chapter of this fic. :D I'm sorry it's taken so long to get it to this point... I'm bad at finding the time to sort out the formatting on these things. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. If I did, my name would be J.K. Rowling.

**Chapter 6 – Epilogue**

Hermione poured cold tea down the plug hole, sighing as she realised she'd wasted yet another cup of perfectly good Earl Grey whilst sitting and pondering.

Over the past few weeks she and Severus had slowly begun getting to know one another, making time to eat together, read together and talk, as well as allowing each other time to themselves for reflection and other things. Something that had been particularly important considering that Severus was still housebound and awaiting his trial.

He'd been in more and more frequent meetings with his solicitor over the last few weeks and Hermione knew then that the trial date wouldn't be far away – especially if his irritation and general moods after the meetings were anything to go by.

She'd slowly worked her way through his outer shell over the weeks, learning more about him than most ever would, and coming to love him more than she ever thought possible, but in the last few days he'd been particularly distant. Quiet and reclusive, going to his room at night and not answering if she knocked with offerings of tea.

She had wondered at first if it was the fact that they'd yet to sleep together that was the problem. She hadn't broached the subject, too afraid to, but when she had asked about what the problem was he had always insisted that it wasn't anything to do with their relationship or her. Suffice to say that if it were up to her, they would've passed that marker a long while ago but he was determined that they wait.

It turned out her suspicions about the trial were correct, for she'd woken up that morning to find him absent and a note on the kitchen table.

_Hermione,_

_The trial is today, starting at 8am. Please don't come. I can't explain why, but I'd rather you didn't, however it may turn out._

_Whatever happens, remember that I love you._

_Severus_

Hermione almost cried when she'd read the note later that day at almost noon. That was the first time he'd told her how he felt about her, and it was in a note telling her not to go to his trial.

She made tea and sat thinking about him, the note and other such things for almost three hours now and was getting impatient not to mention increasingly worried about what the outcome could mean. She didn't know how long the trial could take... hell it could take weeks for all she knew. She just wanted to see Severus again, to be sure he was okay.

Leaving the kitchen, she made her way to the library to read some more for work – anything to take her mind off what could be going on. Settling herself on the sofa, she turned to the latest pile of books only to find, again, that 'Temptations and Passions' was on the top of it.

_Well... I suppose I may as well,_ she thought. Picking it up and tucking her feet under her, she put a pillow on her lap and began to read the book from the start for once.

She'd just finished the fourth chapter, when she heard the distinct sound of the Floo coming from another room. Standing up and adjusting her skirt, she quickly left the library and stood in the corridor. "Severus?" she said quietly, heading for the front room, the one most commonly used to Floo in and out of Grimmauld Place.

He wasn't there. She shook her head, chiding herself for obviously imagining things and turned to go back to the library only to be engulfed by black material as she turned.

"Hermione," Severus said into her hair as he clung to her.

She pulled back to look at his face and smiled. "You... you're free?" she asked.

He nodded and she laughed aloud, happier than she could remember for a long while. "Come on," he said, pulling her out of the room and down the corridor towards the kitchen. "Let's get a drink to celebrate."

Hermione followed, holding onto his hand as if he were going to disappear at any moment.

Once he'd seated her at the table he retrieved two wine glasses from the cupboard, opening the wine bottle he'd obviously bought once the trial was over. She watched him in contemplative silence as he poured the wine out, handing her a glass and taking a seat next to her at the table.

Taking a sip, she turned to him and said, "You didn't think you'd come back, did you?"

He drank his wine slowly and, when he'd drunk the last drop in the glass he put it on the table and turned in his chair to face her. "I wasn't sure."

"So... that's why you didn't want me to go? Why we've never..." she trailed off as he nodded an affirmative.

"I didn't want to risk the possibility of hurting you like that," he said softly, taking her free hand in his.

"I don't think I would have seen it that way," she said, her hand tightening around his, "Though I am glad we didn't."

He smiled and leant in to kiss her, licking the last vestiges of wine from her lips before claiming her mouth and making her moan at his enthusiasm.

Pulling back, she put the wine glass on the table and moved to sit astride his legs, his hands holding her hips tightly as she leant in to kiss him. "You know there's no excuse now," she said between kisses.

He murmured his acknowledgement and pulled her closer, his erection pressing into her and making her gasp.

It wasn't the first time she'd become aware of his arousal but it was the first time she knew they'd finally, _finally_ move their relationship to that stage.

Grinding her hips against him, she let out a low moan as he switched his attention to her throat, his hands coming to undo her blouse as he kissed, lipped, and lightly bit at her neck.

"Mmm, oh Gods, Severus," Hermione panted as he palmed a breast and lightly pinched her nipple though her bra before reaching back under her blouse and releasing the catch.

He moved back for a moment, his hands coming to her shoulders and pulling her blouse down and off, before turning his attention to her naked torso and groaning. "Hermione," he whispered, looking up at her lidded eyes, head thrown back in pleasure as he stroked her breasts gently with both hands. "Hermione," he repeated and she opened her eyes to look at him, "You're beautiful, never let anyone tell you otherwise."

Hermione's smile grew and she moved to kiss him, her hands coming up to grasp his hair and stroke the sensitive skin at the base of his neck that she'd found a few weeks before. "I love you," she whispered, realising she'd yet to say it to him.

"I love you, Hermione," he affirmed before quickly standing and lifting her with him, bringing her to sit on the table behind her and pulling momentarily back so he could take off his outer cloak and robe, leaving him in a shirt and trousers.

Coming to stand in between her spread thighs, he tilted her head so he could look into her eyes, and spoke softly, "As foolish and sentimental as this sounds, Hermione, I still can't believe you're here with me."

She didn't reply, instead she acted and pulled his lips to hers, her legs moving to pull him closer to her so she could feel his erection rubbing against her core.

He moaned into her mouth and she moved a hand to the waistband of his trousers, somehow managing to undo the belt with one hand and slip her hand inside to grasp at him.

"Ahh, fuck!" he said, resting his forehead on her shoulder as she gripped him tightly, rubbing her thumb across the head of his cock. His hands moved to her waist and she smiled, kissing the patch of bared throat near her mouth. "Ahh, fuck." He whimpered again as she moved her hand over him, sometimes teasingly, sometimes firming her grip for a moment, undoing the buttons of his trousers with the other hand.

She continued teasing him for a while, until he grasped her wrist and pulled her away, kissing her knuckles before pushing her back to lay on the table.

"You, my dear," he spoke in a tone that sent shivers down her spine, "are a tease."

She nodded and he smirked, his hands sliding up her thighs, under her skirt and to the top of her knickers before sliding down her thighs again, making her frown. "Please," she asked, spreading her legs a little wider.

"Seeing as you ask so nicely," he said, moving his hand up her thigh and slipping it under the edge of her underwear, his fingertips brushing her curls lightly before moving away again.

"Please," she repeated, gasping.

He bent over her, kissing his way up her chest until his lips sealed themselves around a nipple where he lightly licked and bit at it; she moaned, her back arching.

His hands moved up her thighs again, to the top of her underwear and he slowly, agonisingly, began to pull them from her, never stopping his teasing of her nipple with his mouth.

Her knickers discarded somewhere on the kitchen floor, he lifted his head up to kiss Hermione on the mouth before kissing his way down her body and settling himself on his knees, head between her thighs.

"Oh, God," she gasped as his tongue swiftly licked her clit before moving lower and probing her, his groan telling her how much he liked what he was doing. Her head lifted from the table top momentarily, finding herself interested in how he looked doing this to her. Then it hit the table with a thump as he began moving his tongue over her, putting one finger into her gently and touching _that_ spot with unflinching accuracy.

"Ahh!" she yelled, as he stimulated her clitoris and G-spot at the same time, his free hand never moving from her thigh, thumb drawing small circles on her skin.

She peaked quickly, the stimulation too much and he relented, moving his tongue over her, before sliding his fingers out of her slowly and getting to his feet.

Panting, Hermione opened her eyes to take in the sight of Severus Snape licking his fingers clean of her most intimate juices. He smiled as her eyes widened and leant over, kissing her, sharing the taste with her before pulling back and looking at her appraisingly.

"I don't need 'more'?" she asked wryly, bringing his comment from that night in the kitchen back to him.

He laughed, "Oh, I'm sure you do." Moving to take her hand, he pulled her upright so she sat on the edge of the table in just her skirt and shoes.

The prim and proper part of Hermione couldn't help but gasp in horror at what they'd just done in the kitchen, but she ignored it. That's what cleaning charms were for anyway.

Standing, Hermione pulled Severus close to her, holding him tightly. The presence of his erection pushing into her lower belly made her bite her lip in anticipation.

"Upstairs?" she asked shyly, looking at his state of dress compared to hers.

"Indeed," he replied, picking up his cloak and putting it around her shoulders.

As they opened the door to the kitchen and approached the stairs, the sound of the Floo being used in the front room could be heard and Hermione and Severus looked at each other askance.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled loudly, running out of the room and down the corridor towards them blindly. "He's free! Did you hear? Did—holy crap!" he cried as he met them at the bottom of the stairs.

"I heard, Ron," Hermione said, holding back her laughter at the look on his face as he took in their state of undress. She turned towards Severus attempting to hide her chest from Ron's eyes.

"Right," he said, putting his hands in his pockets and turning around. "I'll... um, talk to you later then."

"Okay," Hermione snorted as he walked down the corridor back to the front room.

"Oh, and, Mr Weasley?" Severus said as he disappeared from view.

"Yes?" came the reply, but not Ron himself.

"You might want to stop Potter 'popping by' for... a few days at least. In his own best interests of course."

"Oh... right."

"Bye, Ron," Hermione said as she heard the Floo flare to life. Turning to Severus, she smiled and took his hand, tilting her head in question. "Well, if its days we're talking about, _sir_, shall we get started?" she said, gesturing to the stairs.

He smirked and grabbed her waist, pulling her in for a kiss, before picking her up and carrying her up the stairs. "Oh, yes."

... ... ... ... ...

THE END.

A/N: I hope you liked the ending - as well as the rest of it. It's been a long while since I wrote this and I must admit I cringe a little when I re-read it. Heehee. If you did like it, please consider leaving a review - they're much appreciated!!


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